RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Color-coded Imaging Distinguishes Cancer Cells, Stromal Cells, and Recombinant Cancer-stromal Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment During Metastasis
JF Anticancer Research
JO Anticancer Res
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 4417
OP 4423
DO 10.21873/anticanres.12743
VO 38
IS 8
A1 MIKI NAKAMURA
A1 ATSUSHI SUETSUGU
A1 KOSUKE HASEGAWA
A1 TOMOYUKI SATAKE
A1 TAKAHIRO KUNISADA
A1 MASAHITO SHIMIZU
A1 SHIGETOYO SAJI
A1 HISATAKA MORIWAKI
A1 ROBERT M. HOFFMAN
YR 2018
UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/38/8/4417.abstract
AB Background/Aim: Our laboratory pioneered color-coded imaging of the tumor microenvironment (TME). We observed recruitment of cancer and stromal cells to the TME and recombination between cancer and stromal cells. The aim of the present study was to observe the dynamics of the TME by color-coded imaging during metastasis and in the formation of a pre-metastatic niche. Materials and Methods: Red-fluorescent protein (RFP-expressing) mouse colon-cancer 26 cells were initially injected subcutaneously in green-fluorescent protein (GFP) nude mice. The resulting subcutaneous tumors were harvested and cultured. The cultured subcutaneous tumors contained RFP colon cancer cells, GFP stromal cells and recombinant cancer-stromal cells expressing yellow fluorescence. After 14 days culture, the cells were injected into the spleen. Results: After splenic injection, colon-cancer 26 metastases were observed in the liver, ascites, and bone marrow. Using the Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, the cells cultured from tumors and metastasis in each site were visualized. RFP colon-cancer cells, GFP stromal cells derived from host GFP nude mice, and recombinant yellow-fluorescent cells were observed in each organ. In addition, in the liver, areas with only GFP stromal cells were observed and assumed to be a pre-metastatic niche. Conclusion: Color-coded imaging demonstrated the dynamics of colon cancer and stromal cells at different metastatic sites including the formation of recombinant cancer-stromal cells.